Looking For Trouble
by Skylark Starflower
Summary: A young robot disobeys his father and travels outside for the first time, but it's not the adventure he was hoping for.


Author's Note/Disclaimer: Don't own Ninjago. You know the drill.

So, in chapter four of my other fic, Bonds of Blood, Ties of Friendship, Zane tells Cole a brief story about a time when he left home without permission and became lost. As it turns out, Zane glossed over a few things with his rather simple telling. So here's the full account.

EDIT: I changed the beginning slightly to better mesh with events from Heart And Soul. Nothing too big, but Julien's response is more appropriate now.

" **Looking For Trouble"  
By Skylark Starflower  
Started January 12, 2016  
Finished January 14, 2016**

"Father?"

Dr. Julien looked up from the machine he was tinkering with at his work desk and turned towards the source of the voice. Zane, a young robot he'd built from spare parts, was standing behind him, a look of inquisitiveness on his face.

"Yes, son?" he asked.

"What's a treehorn?"

Julien froze. A sudden, unbidden wave of panic washed over him at just the mention of the word. Still, he did his best to appear calm. He didn't want Zane to notice, hoping to avoid awkward questions. He took a quick, calming breath before replying.

"Ah." Dr. Julien thought for a moment, still unsure of how to answer. "Well, they're large, dangerous creatures. Why do you want to know about those, anyway?"

"One of my books mentions them, but there are no pictures or information, so I was curious."

Dr. Julien laughed in an attempt to shake off the alarm. "I wouldn't worry about it, son. As long as you stay inside, you won't have to deal with them, anyway."

Zane seemed a little confused by his father's response, but he didn't question it. With a nod, Zane turned and headed back to his book. Dr. Julien smiled as he watched him lay back down in his favourite reading spot, kicking his feet in the air as he continued to leaf through his book.

With a quiet sigh, he turned to his invention and went back to work. For a while, the only sounds in the tree house were those of clinking tools, rustling paper and the occasional ruffling of feathers as the falcon readjusted itself while it rested on a perch, head tucked under a wing.

"Hmm…" Dr. Julien paused, searching across his work desk for a part he needed. When he couldn't find it, he stopped, frowning. "I thought for sure I had another one of those gears. Drat, I guess I'm going to have to head into town. Well, I suppose I needed to get some more supplies soon, anyway."

Turning to the falcon, he whistled to it. Perking up, the robot bird flew down onto Dr. Julien's extended arm.

"Zane?"

The young robot was completely absorbed in his book and it took a couple of calls to finally get his attention. Zane closed over his book and sat up, looking up at his father, who was now standing at the base of the stairs that led to the door. "Yes, father?"

"I need to head into town for a while. I'm taking the falcon with me, so will you be all right by yourself for an hour or two?"

Zane nodded. "I think so, father." His expression grew hopeful. "Do you think you could bring me some more books, please? I've already read all of the ones in the house."

Dr. Julien laughed. "Of course, son. Now, just stay inside where it's safe and I will see you soon."

Zane waved farewell as his father, falcon in tow, made his way up the stairs and out the door. Once he was gone, Zane turned his attention back to his book.

He had already read this particular book several times over, but he found it fascinating and continued to return to it time and time again. It contained information all about the Birchwood forest, his home. He had never yet seen it for himself, though. His father insisted that he stay inside, but whenever Zane asked why, Dr, Julien would simply tell him that it wasn't safe outside. If it wasn't safe, why could father come and go as he pleased?

Frowning, Zane flipped through the pages of his book, pausing at the one entry he had asked about earlier. The book mentioned treehorns in passing before continuing on to describe the migratory habits of several indigenous species of birds. His father's description of them was lacking at best.

Zane looked up at the door. Surely treehorns couldn't be all that bad, right? He really wanted to know more about them, maybe see one and learn what they looked like. His father didn't seem to want him to know more, and he couldn't understand why he would keep that information from him.

Pushing up from the floor, he stood, still looking at the exit. Dr. Julien had told him to stay inside while he was away, but he really wanted to go outside and explore, maybe find a treehorn and learn about it. If he could do that and be home before father returned, it wouldn't be a problem, right? He was already several months old; he should be able to take care of himself by now, right?

He knew it was a bad idea even as he made his way up the stairs, but the urge to explore and learn was driving him now. He paused at the door, fighting with himself. He didn't want to disappoint his father, but at the same time, he really needed to know more.

Zane decided that he would just open the door and look outside. It wouldn't hurt anything; just a quick peek and then he would go back downstairs. Still, he stood there for several minutes, torn between disobeying his father and the curiosity that drove him. In the end, the curiosity won out, and he slowly pushed the door open.

Outside was unlike anything he had ever known. Even the pictures in his book hadn't prepared him for what he saw now. Great birch trees stretched into the distance, branches covered in a white fluff he assumed to be snow. The same white material blanketed the ground, covering everything he could see. Big fluffy flakes floated gently from the sky. His father's footsteps were still visible in the snow, but they were quickly being filled by fresh snowfall.

Zane really had intended to go back inside after peeking out, but now that he was standing there it became difficult for him to fight the urge to explore. He couldn't stop himself, and found himself stepping out into the snow.

It was cold, but he wasn't surprised to find that it didn't bother him. He was a robot, after all. The way the snow crunched under his feet was somehow satisfying, and he found himself running in little circles outside the door just to experience it again.

Grinning, Zane decided it wouldn't hurt to travel just a little ways out. He could always follow his footprints back home. His father wasn't due back for at least another hour. He had lots of time.

At first, it was like an adventure. If he was lucky, he would get to see a treehorn or two before he turned back. Father wouldn't have to know about his little excursion and everything would be fine.

The snow became heavier as he walked along, and it became harder to see. For the first time since he'd left home, Zane began to feel nervous. He decided it was time to turn around and head back, but when he tried to find his trail, he found that it had already been wiped out by the snowfall.

Zane tried not to become flustered, heading back in the direction he believed he had come from. When he still hadn't found his home several minutes later, he could no longer stop himself. His world was a white blur and he was completely lost. His father would be furious.

He was full out panicking now, unable to stop tears from streaming down his face as he tried desperately to find his way in the snow. Everything looked the same, though.

 _I shouldn't have left home,_ he thought bitterly. _I should have listened to father and stayed inside._

It was too late for him to change things now. He knew if he continued to blunder about, he would just get more lost, so instead he set about searching for shelter, to hide until the storm had passed. Several minutes of searching later, he found a stand of trees that grew in a semicircle, creating a hollow space in the middle that was somewhat protected from the swirling snow. Ducking into it, he huddled into himself, shivering more from fear than cold.

It was the first time in his short life that he could remember being afraid. He didn't know where he was or if his father would be able to find him. Would he, or could he, die? And if so, could father fix him? Zane drew up into himself further, sniffling and crying out for his father.

X X X

Dr. Julien followed the falcon's movements as it led him through the snowstorm. He had expected the weather to get bad, which was why he'd brought the falcon in the first place. He'd built it with an ingrained sense of direction for just such purposes.

Readjusting his backpack to a more comfortable position, he looked about for a marker, something to assure him that he was in fact going the right way. Spotting one through the heavy snow, he knew home was near. A few moments later, he was pushing his way through the door, the falcon launching off his arm and down into the main room of the tree house. Removing his backpack to carry in his hand, he started down the stairs.

"Zane! I'm home!"

When he received no reply at first, he assumed Zane was once again caught up in a book. When he tried again without response, he began to worry. Peering down, he looked for Zane, but couldn't see him anywhere.

"Zane?" Dropping the backpack on the stairs, he ran the rest of the way down and began to search. There weren't many places where he could look, and it was soon evident that Zane wasn't there.

The falcon chirped and shuffled restlessly on the desk it had perched on. Dr. Julien had built in a connection between Zane and the falcon, and wondered if it could be used to find his son.

"Do you know where Zane is?" he asked. The falcon replied with a screech and took off towards the door, circling about as it waited to be let back outside. Dr. Julien felt his stomach turn in dread. Zane was outside in this mess of a snowstorm? What was he doing out there? Was he okay? He had no way of knowing.

Running up the stairs, careful of the abandoned pack, he stopped at the door. "Find my son and bring him home safe, okay?" he told the falcon before pushing the door open and letting the bird back out into the storm. He watched it disappear before closing the door and collapsing on the stairs beside it. He felt sick with worry, holding his face in his hands. All he could do now was wait and hope.

X X X

The falcon winged its way into the forest, tracking Zane's signal. It could sense his distress, putting on a burst of speed as it closed in on the young robot. The snow didn't deter it at all.

Zane wasn't as far away from home as he'd thought he was, and within minutes the falcon could pick up the sound of his pathetic sobbing. Tracking him with the sound as well as his signal, the falcon zeroed in on his hiding place and swooped down to land in front of the frightened robot. It let out a screech to alert Zane to its presence.

Zane's head snapped up at the cry, and he spotted the falcon. His misery quickly turned to giddy relief and he reached out to pat the falcon in greeting. The falcon nipped at his fingers as he tried.

"Ow!" Zane pulled his hand back in shock. "What was that for?"

The falcon stared at him with its icy glare. Zane knew what he had done, and dropped his gaze, ashamed. Feeling that he had been appropriately chastised, the falcon screeched once more and flapped into the air, circling around as it waited for Zane to follow.

Picking himself up, still sniffling and wiping tears from his eyes, Zane followed the falcon as it headed home. He began to worry the closer he got, knowing his father would be waiting for him. This was the first time he had ever disobeyed him and he had no idea what to expect when he got home.

Suddenly, the falcon wheeled about and turned in the opposite direction. Zane was confused, but followed anyway. The falcon was the only one who knew the way home, after all. It landed on a low growing tree branch, Zane coming over to stand next to it. Sensing that something was wrong, he huddled close to the tree, and peeked in the direction they had been heading.

Something very large was making its way through the forest. Tall, very tall, with spindly legs like thin tree trunks, it towered over Zane. It hadn't noticed him, and it was travelling in the opposite direction, so he watched it in silence as it moved along, disappearing into the blowing snow.

"Was that a treehorn?" he whispered to the falcon, though he wasn't expecting a reply. This worked out well, because he didn't get one.

The falcon waited several more minutes for the danger to pass before it launched once more into the sky, Zane running to keep up. They weren't far from home now, reaching the tree house a couple minutes later. Zane pulled the door open, the falcon swooping past him before he could even get inside. He pulled to door shut after he entered.

"Zane!"

The young robot jumped at the sound of his father's voice and turned slowly to face him, head lowered in shame. Dr. Julien stood on the stairs not far from the front door, his expression a mix of anger and relief.

"What were you thinking? You could have been hurt! I've told you I don't know how many times that it's dangerous out there!"

Zane shrunk back, tears welling in his eyes once again as he stared hard at the floor. "I'm sorry, father… I … I just … I wanted to see a treehorn."

Dr. Julien stared at Zane in shock. "Of all the crazy … Zane…"

His father stepped forward and drew his son into a firm embrace, startling Zane. "I am so glad you're okay. Going out looking for treehorns … you really have no idea of the danger you were in, son. I thought I taught you better than that."

"I'm sorry…" Zane started to cry in earnest, and Dr. Julien responded by hugging him tighter.

"Shh… it's okay. You're home safe, and that's what matters."

It still took several minutes before Zane calmed down and stopped crying. Dr. Julien released him from the hug, taking a step back, hands on Zane's shoulders. He looked Zane in the eyes. "Son, promise me you'll never do something like this again, okay?"

Zane had trouble maintaining the eye contact, wanting to look away again, but he held it as he replied. "I promise, father."

Dr. Julien smiled. "Good. Now, come along. I brought you some books, like you asked."

The two headed back down the stairs, Zane picking up the backpack his father had left abandoned and handing it to him as they went. Once they were downstairs, Dr. Julien set about unpacking. He seemed to be searching for something, mumbling to himself as he pulled things from the bag.

"Let's see… tools, equipment, food … ah, here we go." He pulled out a bundle of books, but before giving them to Zane, he sorted through them, separating one from the rest. Turning to his son, he handed him both the one book and the bundle.

"Thank you, father."

Taking them over to his favourite reading spot, Zane lay down, dropping the bundle of new books on top of the old one he'd left there earlier after pushing it aside. He set the one his father had singled out down in the now vacant spot. He was surprised to find that it was about treehorns. He glanced at his father, but he was already absorbed in tinkering with his current invention.

The falcon flew over to perch on Zane's head as he flipped the book open and began to read. An icy chill began to spread through him as he did. His father hadn't been kidding about how dangerous treehorns were. He was lucky to be home in one piece. Shivering, he decided then and there never to disobey his father again.

The End


End file.
